One of the more challenging commodities to safely transport by rail is steel or iron pipe. The sizes range to 72″ diameter and up to 80 feet in length. Methods for securing the pipe on railroad flat cars include chain, side stakes, polyester webbing and steel banding. The Association of American Railroads Open Top Loading Rules, Section 2 devotes an entire Part to figures defining acceptable pipe loads and tie down methods. About one quarter of these methods involve the use of 2″ high tension steel banding. After loading the railcar with bundles of pipe, 2″ high tension steel banding is passed through the round anchor welded to the deck of the railcar at one side. A loop is formed and connected to the banding with one or more crimped seals. The free end of the banding is passed over the top of the pipe and looped through the round anchor on the opposite side of the railcar, tensioned and the seals crimped. A special tool is used to tension the banding, and crimped seals are applied to the loop at the end of the banding to secure the pipe load.
Shocks and vibrations during transit (normal occurrences which railcars and the loaded commodities experience) have been found to cause fatigue cracks in the loop of the high tension steel band where it is in contact with the anchor on the railcar. Fatigue cracks in the banding can lead to catastrophic band failure with the potential for losing the load on the right of way, thereby creating hazardous conditions for rail traffic. Borrowing the technology from another approved method of shipping lumber, a Constant Tension Device (CTD), used to maintain tension on the high tension band, was added to the railcars in pipe service. The addition of the CTD eliminated banding fatigue cracks. However, the length of the CTD placed the sealed loop at a height that was difficult to reach with the tensioning and crimping tools. Pipes loaded to the full car width or beyond were difficult to tie down because the length of the CTD placed the seal on the pipe. This would not allow the crimping tool to grip the seal.
One method to isolate the shock and vibration employs a member having an upper loop of a substantially rectangular opening therein and a bottom bar beneath the loop having an entrance aperture. A webbing is employed which loops around a load strap anchor welded to the railcar with a free end received by the open ended bottom bar and a looped portion attached to the bottom leg of the upper loop portion. The 2″ steel banding then loops through the upper portion or leg of the loop portion. This is known as the Ireco Vibration Isolation Connection unit or “VIC” for short.